


A Different Battle

by DoubleDebiru



Category: Devilman (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Egg Laying, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, M/M, Some real nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-15 04:14:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13605309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoubleDebiru/pseuds/DoubleDebiru
Summary: In a different world, the apocalypse has wiped out humanity, and Akira grows closer to Ryo in the fight against God. Perhaps a little too close.He cried out. He thought he’d be with Akira when they came. Instead, he was stranded and alone with an urge to push creeping over him.





	1. Just A Little More

A rare night of peace found Akira and Ryo in a random, nearly untouched house. They sat in the master bedroom, legs dangling over the edge of the bed.

Logically, Akira knew they were alone. They had been so careful, making sure no creature alive had followed them. He was more alert than he should have been, back tensing and eyes darting around the room.

Its stillness was unnerving after the frenzy of battle. The only sound was his own breathing which only grew heavier as the demon inside him itched to burst free.

He jumped when Ryo placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Relax. If something was coming, I’d know.”

Finally, he took a deep breath, letting his shoulders fall.

Ryo leaned against his side. His head rested on his shoulder and his wings caressed his back. “Akira, what did you need to tell me?” he murmured, breath hot against his skin.

“I, uh . . .” He needed a moment to collect his thoughts, heat rushing to his cheeks and pooling below his stomach. “This is gonna sound stupid, but I know I should hate you.” He paused. “But I can’t. I still care about you, despite everything. And I -”

Ryo kissed him, urgent and needy, hands pressed against his chest. When he kissed back, Ryo gasped a little against his mouth. 

Ryo pulled away, tears welling up and reddening his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” 

He sniffled, rubbing at his face. “I didn’t think you’d want this.”

Akira leaned towards him. “I shouldn’t.” He kissed him, softer and slower this time.

Ryo dipped a hand into his pants. He let him pull them off, revealing his half-hard member. Ryo glanced up at him, eyes lidded, before wrapping a hand around him.

Lazily, he stroked him a few times. When he brushed his thumb against the head then pulled away, Akira knew he was toying with him, but he couldn’t help but whine.

Before, he had just wanted to talk to him. Now, all he wanted to do was pin him down and fuck him hard. The taunting, feather-light contact was maddening, but even worse was that Ryo had walked away, rummaging through a drawer.

“What are you doing?” He quickly found out when he came back into view, a small bottle in his hands. He panted, lust rising in his chest. It didn’t feel like it was his own hand that snatched it and squeezed some of its contents into his palm. He stared at Ryo as he reached down and slicked himself, quick jerks bringing him to full mast.

He grabbed him and pulled him onto his lap. Wetting his fingers again, he reached between Ryo’s legs. He was about to press into him when Ryo took his wrist.

“Not there.” He guided him to a puffy slit just behind his cock.

Akira glanced at him, eyes widening. “How -”

“It doesn’t matter.” His breath hitched when Akira entered.

He stretched him open, first with one finger, then two, then three. By the time he felt Ryo was ready, he was gasping with each thrust and shuddering against his chest.

He stared at Ryo’s face, so pretty when flushed and twisted in pleasure. When he removed himself and pulled his gaze downwards, he jolted. In his lust, he had transformed without knowing it.

“Ryo, did I hurt you?” His voice was low but brimming with concern.

To his surprise, he laughed, only a little breathless. “I’ve been alive for millenia. Do you really think you could hurt me?” He paused, eyes appraising him. “But if you could, I’d want you to.”

Despite the chill that went through him, Akira sighed. “Ryo, why would I want to do that? I know that I’m . . . that I’m . . . big like this. Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

He nodded, positioning himself over Akira. Before he could sink down, Akira flipped him onto his hands and knees with a growl. Tauntingly, Ryo swayed his hips. Akira stilled him, claws digging into his soft flesh as he pressed forward.

It was hard to keep himself from going too fast, especially with Ryo tight and warm around him. At first, he forced himself to be gentle, keeping it slow and shallow, but something inside him broke when he went deeper and Ryo moaned, clenching around him.

He couldn’t stop himself from thrusting in earnest, pistoning back and forth. In a moment of clarity, he reached around and took Ryo’s dick, pumping in time with his hips. His little noises of approval spurred him on further. He licked a stripe up Ryo’s back, tongue long and rough, stopping at his neck to kiss him hard and graze him with his fangs.

A dark need coiled in his chest. He needed to mark him, to claim this being so beautiful and powerful as his own. He bit down, drawing a sharp gasp from Ryo. He came into Akira’s hand, clenching around him.

Growing close as well, Akira made himself slow down, almost stilling inside him. “I’m gonna . . . Is it okay if I -”

“Did I tell you to stop?” He turned and glared at him, cold eyes contrasting flushed cheeks.

He moved again, a need he couldn’t name still pulsing inside him. There was something he wanted to do to Ryo, but he didn’t understand what it could be. He’d already marked him, dark bruises blooming from his pale skin, punctures dripping red onto the sheets.

As his thrusts grew erratic, the answer came to him, bubbling up from some deep part of his mind.

_Mate him. Claim him, inside and out. Make him fat with your offspring. ___

__He released inside him, an animalistic noise tearing from his throat. He held Ryo in place, flush against his hips. When the demon was sated, he pulled out, and Ryo slumped onto the mattress, white dribbling down his thighs._ _

__“Hey, are you alright?” He sat next to him, stroking his back._ _

__“Never better.” He pulled himself up, leaning against Akira._ _

__Looking at him again, he blushed at the damage he’d caused. Apologetically, he slunk behind him, pulling him closer as he lapped at his wound._ _

__“You’re not a dog, Akira.” He tried to move away, but Akira wouldn’t let him. His grip tightened possessively around his waist._ _

__“I’d be your dog.” He pressed a chaste kiss to the middle of the mark. “I’d be anything for you. Despite everything, I love you.”_ _

__~_ _

__Later, Ryo took him aside, something odd gleaming in his eyes._ _

__“Akira, when we, um . . .” He was uncharacteristically quiet. “I think that I’m . . .” He looked down, and Akira followed his gaze to his stomach. Normally, it was flat, but now it bowed slightly outwards._ _

__It didn’t take long for the connection to click._ _

__“Pregnant?”_ _

__He nodded, biting his lip._ _

__Akira hugged him, starting to tear up. “Ryo, this is -” He pulled back. “Wait. It’s only been a week. How could you be showing?”_ _

__“It’s the way angels work, even fallen ones.” He smirked a little. “In a month or so, I’ll lay an egg. Then, I’ll have to incubate it for ten months afterwards.”_ _

__He embraced him again. “The way you’re talking, it sounds like you want to do this alone.”_ _

__Ryo leaned into him. “I don’t need your help.”_ _

__He gave him a questioning glance. “Have you done this before?”_ _

__“No, but -”_ _

__“Then you have no excuse.” He buried his face in his golden curls. “I know this is gonna be hard. Everything’s gone, and there’s this war.” He sniffled. “But I’ll do the best I can, alright?”_ _

__Ryo nodded against his chest. “Even for an angel, this is going fast. I think there’s two.”_ _

__“Two? Ryo, I -” He held him tighter, crying now. “It feels wrong to be so happy about this.”_ _

__*_ _

__Ryo sat with his back against Akira. His arms were around him, sturdy and warm. Slowly, almost reverently, he caressed his gravid stomach._ _

__“They’ll be here any day now.”_ _

__He kissed his neck. “You should go hide before they come.”_ _

__He sighed, leaning back. “Akira, I can’t. It’d be too suspicious.”_ _

__“Suspicious?” He laughed, chest rumbling behind him. “Like they didn’t know already.”_ _

__“Just go with the plan.”_ _

__“You’re gonna be gone for a long time after you have them. How’s that not suspicious? Why can’t you leave a few days early?”_ _

__He huffed, turning his head away from him. “I don’t know.”_ _

__“You’re not making sense. There’s something else, isn’t there?”_ _

__“I just . . . This is my war. I shouldn’t leave it.”_ _

__Akira scootched around so he was facing him and gave him a hard look. “You’re not leaving it. You’re just fighting a different battle right now.” He hugged him, mindful of his belly._ _

__~_ _

__Keeping close to the ground, Ryo slipped away from the battle. The contractions had worsened as the day went on, but he thought he could fight a little longer. Evidently, he couldn’t._ _

__A pain gripped him, forcing him to land and breathe through it. He listened for anything following him, but thankfully, it seemed no one had noticed his absence. Panting, he took off again._ _

__He told some scrawny little thing to tell Akira about his condition. If he had done it himself, Akira would’ve immediately abandoned the front lines. But he wasn’t sure when Akira would have a chance to go find him. At least he already knew where to look._ _

__His destination was nearby, a vacant house they had stocked with supplies for his labor. He knew he was getting close, but way too soon after the last contraction, another came._ _

__Wincing, he landed again. He stroked his swollen stomach, the two large eggs inside him shifting uncomfortably. Just before it ended, one of them inched lower between his hips._ _

__He cried out. He thought he’d be with Akira when they came. Instead, he was stranded and alone with an urge to push creeping over him._ _

__The small-town street was empty, but he felt exposed. He could’ve been somewhere dark and warm and safe with Akira by his side if only he hadn’t been so stubborn._ _

__Bracing himself against the side of a house, he resigned himself to giving birth right where he was. He bore down with the next contraction, the first egg slipping downwards much too fast for his liking._ _

__As soon as it faded, another took its place. Tears streamed down his face. It was too late. Even if Akira found him, they were coming now._ _

__All too soon, the egg pressed against his entrance. It filled out his passage more than anything had before, a heavy, full weight sliding down. It was nearly unbearable._ _

__Ryo sobbed as his entrance burned, stretching mercilessly to accommodate the egg. Despite his efforts, it slipped back inside when the contraction ended._ _

__Shuddering, he let himself fall to knees. The pavement was far from comfortable, but he couldn’t hold himself up much longer. He spread his legs a little wider to help it along and silently begged Akira to hurry._ _

__After emerging again and again for what felt like an eternity, the egg finally crowned. As he bore down again, he heard something fly past overhead._ _

__“Akira! Akira, I’m here!” He called out to him, but he didn’t respond. “Akira?”_ _

__Something laughed at him, shrill and jeering. He froze. He couldn’t get up let alone fend off an angel or two, even small ones like these._ _

__They landed nearby, too-wide grins splitting their faces to reveal needle-like fangs. They snickered as they grew closer, and Ryo folded into himself. He needed to push, but he resisted the urge. It was irrational, but it felt like his eggs would be safer inside him, even if one was already halfway out._ _

__“Ryo!”_ _

__The angels turned at the sound of Akira’s voice, and Ryo wept in relief. They tried to get away, but he quickly tore through them. He rushed to Ryo’s side still covered in blood._ _

__“I’m so sorry.” He helped him back to his feet. “I looked everywhere for you, and you were here the whole time, all alone.” Fat tears rolled down his cheeks as he transformed back to normal._ _

__“It’s my fault. I should’ve left before - !” He cut himself off with a groan, pushing again._ _

__He clung to Akira. When it passed, he keened, head pressed into Akira’s chest._ _

__The pressure was intense. He rocked his hips back and forth in an attempt to relieve it, only stilling when another contraction washed over him._ _

__His bottom drifted closer to the ground, the egg at its widest point. He squeezed Akira’s shoulders._ _

__“You’re doing so good. Just a little more.”_ _

__With a gasp and a gush of fluid, it fell into Akira’s hands. He gave it to Ryo who closed his eyes and sank to the ground, hugging it close to him._ _

__“Can I move you inside? It’s not safe out here.”_ _

__He nodded, and Akira scooped him into his arms. He took him inside and set him on a couch._ _

__“I’ll be right back. I just need to grab a few things. Will you be okay?”_ _

__Again, he nodded, so Akira left._ _

__He sat there breathing heavily until another contraction wracked his body. He wanted to shift to a more comfortable position, but he couldn’t with the egg in his hands._ _

__“Akira!” he cried out, and he soon came running back with an armful of blankets and towels. He dropped them onto the floor nearby and tried to take the egg from Ryo._ _

__He twisted away from him, trying and failing to get up to his knees and push while still holding the egg._ _

__“Ryo, it’s just me!” He placed his hands on his shoulders. “Calm down. Breathe.”_ _

__After a moment, he let Akira take it, then he put his weight on the armrest, shaking as he bore down. The second egg dropped even faster than its sibling. When Akira returned, it was already nudging his entrance._ _

__He rubbed his sweaty back. “Is there anything you need me to do?”_ _

__“Stay with me,” he choked out between breaths, “please.” Soon enough, it peeked out between his legs. Akira encouraged him, shifting to catch it._ _

__Another contraction, the egg stretching him so wide._ _

__“You’re almost there. Just a little more.”_ _

__Ryo sobbed as it came free, fluid spilling onto Akira and the couch below. Tired, he curled into a ball and closed his eyes. In the state he was in, he didn’t care how sweat-drenched and dirty he was. He just hoped sleep would numb his aching body._ _

__Gently, Akira shook him awake. He kissed him then hugged him tight, rocking him a little. “Ryo, you did it! You’re alright, and the eggs, they’re here, and -” He kissed him again. “You are alright, aren’t you?”_ _

__He nodded. “For the most part, but where’s -”_ _

__“They’re right here.” He pointed at two bundles sitting on a chair. “You can hold them after we clean you up.”_ _

__He wanted to fight against him, to wrap himself around the eggs and protect them from harm. Instead, he went limp as Akira carried him to the bathroom._ _

__After wetting a rag with a water bottle, he wiped him down. He squirmed and complained, coming out of it frazzled and damp._ _

__“Was that really so bad?”_ _

__He pouted. “Take me back. I can’t move.”_ _

__He grinned and picked him up. “You were just moving all over the place, you faker.”_ _

__“I’m not faking! Is this really the time to antagonize me?” Indignant, he glared at him as he set him on a bed then left. He came back with the bundles, then told him he’d clean off and be right back, leaving again._ _

__Slowly, Ryo unravelled them, revealing pure white shells. Akira must’ve cleaned them before wrapping them up. He shifted, lying down on his side close to them. He fanned his wings over them like a shield. Nothing would ever touch them._ _

__“Hey, Ryo.” Akira climbed onto the bed then lied down facing him. He brushed his wings aside and kissed him. “We’re staying here tonight, but we have to leave in the morning. We can’t let them find you.”_ _

__Ryo nodded as he shifted his wings to encompass them both._ _


	2. Ready As We Can Be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm not going any further than this. I'm honestly shocked at the positive reception the first part got, and I can't thank you guys enough. There's no porn in this one, though.

Ryo hated waking up early. He groaned and shifted a little, trying to find a comfortable way to go back to sleep. He was snuggled next to Akira, the eggs at his side. The combination of a living furnace at his back and a heavy comforter draped over him made the bed deliciously warm.

The room was just starting to light up, he could tell behind closed eyes. He hoped he could fall asleep again, but just laying there with Akira wouldn’t be a bad way to spend his time.

He wished he could roll over without disturbing him or the eggs just so he could look at him again. By now, he’d probably memorized his face, every curve and angle burned into his mind, but he could never get enough it.

The possibilities were tantalizing. He could brush the hair from his face. He could even steal a kiss while he was sleeping. Instead, Ryo happily sighed, content to just be with him.

Arms snaked around him and pulled him closer. Oh, Akira was awake.

“I don’t wanna leave you.”

“You say that every other day,” he mumbled, smiling to himself.

“Doesn’t make it any less true.” He kissed the back of his head.

“Are you really going to leave this early?”

“Nah, but I have to eventually.”

 

Neither of them could fall back asleep, so they laid there, tangled up and warm. After a while, Ryo reluctantly got up.

“I’m gonna go take a piss.”

Instead of leaving, he stood there, shifting his weight back and forth. He eyed the eggs. It felt wrong to leave them, even with Akira.

“Go, they’ll be alright.” He grinned at him, and Ryo let himself relax a little.

After one last glance, he left.

*

Akira sat up, crossing his legs then pulling the eggs into his lap. Carefully, he picked one up and turned it over in his hands. The way the light shone over its smooth shell reminded him of something.

Months ago, near the beginning, Ryo told him they had to candle the eggs to make sure something was actually inside them. The idea that they could be empty after all Ryo went through, it horrified him to the point of tears, but Ryo patiently showed him how to do it.

One at a time, Ryo held them up, and Akira pointed a flashlight at them from below. They each glowed orange in the light, revealing a dark, hazy mass at the center.

He hugged Ryo, tears streaming down his face, and promised he wouldn’t let anything harm them.

The egg in his hands twitched a little. He yelped, almost dropping it. He set it back down then stared at it, tears forming in his eyes.

When Ryo came back, he was crying in earnest. 

“Akira?” He rushed to the side of the bed. “Did something happen?” He reached down and felt the eggs like he thought they were damaged. That hurt a little.

“This one,” he said, indicating the one on his right, “it moved.”

His eyes widened, and he took a step back. “Maybe you shouldn’t leave today, Akira.”

He glanced down at the eggs then back at Ryo, excitement rising in his chest. “Wait, does that mean -”

Ryo opened his mouth to say something but stopped, frowning. “No, maybe not. It could take a day or two. I could be wrong.”

Frustrated, he groaned. “But what if you’re not!? I definitely can’t leave now!”

He smirked at him. “I thought you didn’t want to leave.” He climbed into the bed, settling next to him.

“I don’t, but I know I should.” He looked down as Ryo took one of his hands into his own. “The others, they need me.” He perked up when a thought crossed his mind. “Maybe I could tell them what’s going on, and -”

“Don’t,” Ryo said, voice cold enough to stop him in his tracks. His grip tightened a little. “Those fucking idiots would come to see it happen, and I’m not dealing with that right now.”

“Alright. What do I do then? I don’t want you to be alone like before.” He gave him a look and interlaced their fingers, trying to convey how sorry he still was, how worried, how much he cared.

Ryo sighed, closing his eyes. “I don’t know. Just come back sooner than usual. If it happens while you’re gone, it happens. I’ll be fine.”

*

Ryo stayed in bed with the eggs. Akira was right, one of them kept moving. He had kissed him goodbye before leaving and sternly told him to eat something before he got back.

However, Ryo didn’t think he would. To do that, he’d have to leave the warm bed which still smelled like Akira. And even worse, he’d have to leave the eggs unattended.

He looked them over, wondering why only one was moving. On cue, the other jerked slightly. They really would hatch soon. He wasn’t ready for this.

He didn’t trust himself to take care of something so small, fragile, and alive. Two little somethings at that. Especially when he barely bothered to take care of himself, forcing Akira to step in like he was his parent.

He caught himself. It’s not like they weren’t alive now, but it was easy to distance himself from the thought when all he had to do was focus on keeping them warm. But now, they were moving, they were coming, and the reality of the situation was setting in. Hell, Akira had stuffed the place with baby supplies carried over from the last few houses they stayed in. They even had names picked out, two for each gender.

One of the eggs moved again, and Ryo couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t do this by himself, but Akira wouldn’t be back for hours at least. Tears stung his eyes, but he couldn’t bring himself to move away from the eggs. He needed to be near them, to touch them.

He broke into shuddering sobs. He wasn’t enough for this. He wasn’t kind and warm and forgiving like Akira. He wasn’t deserving of his love, unselfish and pure. His thoughts spiraled down and down.

With a breath, he steeled himself. He wasn’t a lot of things, but crying about it wasn’t going to change anything. In fact, he was sure nothing would ever change. An egg moved, contradicting his thought. Everything changes and grows, maybe even the Devil himself.

He laughed to himself, a little hysteric, then settled back into the bed, pulling the covers over his head. The light streaming in through the windows annoyed him, and he hoped he could sleep a while and calm down before Akira got back. Occasionally, an egg would twitch in place, but it wasn’t frequent enough to worry about either hatching right that second, so he closed his eyes.

 

When Ryo woke up, he was uncomfortably warm rather than pleasantly warm like before. He shoved the blanket off, careful not to jostle the eggs. They didn’t seem to be any closer to hatching, and he was getting hungry. Maybe he could wrap them up in the blanket and get something to eat.

Something inside him recoiled at the thought of abandoning the eggs, but he knew it was irrational and tried to push it down. Besides, Akira would be happy that he got up and ate.

With Akira in mind, he wrapped the blanket into a makeshift nest of sorts then stood up. At the doorway, his body screamed at him to turn back. The eggs needed him, and they were so close to hatching. If something bad happened, it would be his fault, his fault, his fault. He paused, squeezing his eyes shut, and willed the thoughts to go away.

He made his way into the kitchen and opened the pantry. A package of cookies stood out as particularly interesting. He checked the expiration date. They were a little old, but he took them anyway.

Back in the bedroom, of course nothing had happened. He’d only been gone for a few minutes. He sat down on the bed and put the eggs in his lap. He hadn’t realized he had tensed up until he was holding them again and could finally relax.

Touching them felt right in some unexplainable, visceral way. It put him at ease. Less easing, however, was the fact that both were moving a lot more. How long had he been out?

He glanced at the window to find the sun high in the sky. Was it noon, or maybe later? He didn’t know or really care. Either way meant Akira was closer to getting back.

He opened the cookie package. Though they were slightly brittle, they tasted fine. Their dryness made him realize something, and he cursed.

“I forgot something to drink! It’s always fucking something, isn’t it?” His anger faded as he realized something else. “Who am I talking to?” He looked down at the eggs. “You?”

He laughed a little. “It’s not like you can hear me, right?”

One of the eggs decided to rock back and forth on its own. The color drained from his face. He should’ve been paying more attention. They were closer to hatching than he thought, and Akira wasn’t back yet.

He tried to take a deep breath. Everything was fine. He could do this. What did he need to do? Stay calm, keep a close eye on them, and help them if they needed it.

He ate one more cookie before setting the package to the side.

*

Often, it was hard to pull himself out of battle, his mind clouded with rage and his body flushed and electric. But as soon as he could, he rushed back to Ryo, flying over silent cities and wrecked landscapes. They had to keep Ryo and the eggs away from the battle but still close enough that Akira could go back and forth.

It had gotten late. The sun hung low in the sky, not quite setting yet. Ryo said it could take a day or two for them to hatch, but something made him doubt that. He knew he’d miss it. If he could, he’d bet money on it. It was just his luck.

Even so, his heart jumped into his throat when he opened the door and heard a baby crying. He had to stop himself from running into the bedroom, taking a breath and transforming back to normal. He didn’t want to scare them.

He made his way into the bedroom as quietly as he could. When he entered, he couldn’t help but start crying, too.

Ryo was sitting on the bed, one baby clutched to his chest, and the other nearly hatched in his lap. With his free hand, he was trying to take it out.

“Ryo?” He came closer to help.

He jumped. “Don’t scare me like that.” His voice was wavering and didn’t have the bite he was probably trying to convey.

Akira sat next to him and picked up the second baby. A little boy, face red and screwed as he cried out, two pairs of dark, wet wings adorning his back.

He peeled off a few stray bits of eggshell and sniffled. He glanced at the other, asleep in Ryo’s arms. “Ryo, they’re . . .” He didn't know what to say. They were safe, they were here, they were beautiful.

He leaned against Ryo’s side, giving both a longer look. They were dark little things with a shock of dark brown hair. The one he was holding had eyes almost black, and the other had twice as many wings including a pair on their head.

“Akira, they look just like you.”

He shook his head. “No, look at their little noses. And I know my ears don’t stick out like that.” He kissed him on the cheek.

He shifted so the baby was resting in one arm and reached for the other. Akira handed him over, and the little thing rooted around Ryo’s chest until he found a nipple and latched on. Ryo’s breath hitched a little.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, it just feels weird.” He closed his eyes and sighed, leaning back against the headboard.

Eventually, both babies were asleep, and Ryo was getting there.

Gently, Akira shook him awake. “Sorry, but we’ve got a lot to do. Come on.” He got up slowly, trying not to disturb the babies.

Ryo groaned before following suit. After disposing of the eggshells, Akira grabbed a few water bottles and led Ryo into the bathroom. He wetted a rag then took one of the babies from him.

Oh, this one was a girl. There was a boy and a girl. He had a son and a daughter.

He heard Ryo chuckling and looked over at him.

“I don’t think I can handle two babies _and _a big ol’ crybaby.”__

__He smiled, tears in his eyes. “I’m not a crybaby.”_ _

__Gently, he wiped her clean in the sink. She woke up crying, rousing her brother as well._ _

__Ryo rocked him back and forth, hushing him softly. “Be careful with the wings,” he warned as he rinsed her little head, hand cupped to prevent water from getting in her eyes. He straightened each pair of wings between his fingers, making sure they weren’t stuck to her._ _

__Soon, both babies were clean, dry, and dressed in diapers and onesies. Their parents eased them back to sleep sitting on the bed._ _

__“Akira?” Ryo, whispered, staring down at them. He looked apprehensive, and Akira didn’t like it._ _

__“Hm?”_ _

__“Do you think that I - that we . . .” He paused, taking a breath. “Do you think we can do this?”_ _

__“Yeah. Of course I do.” He leaned over and kissed him, soft and sweet. “These little guys are our responsibility. We have to.”_ _

__Akira smiled at him, trying to reassure him. Even so, Ryo’s eyes were watery, and his lip trembled._ _

__“Hey, who’s the crybaby now?” He was glad that got him to crack a smile._ _

__“It’s just . . . I love you so much that it’s scary, that it hurts, and I -”_ _

__He kissed him again. “I love you, too. And I love them. We’re as ready as we can be, alright?”_ _

__He nodded, and though their future was uncertain, Akira felt excited and warm and impossibly, desperately in love._ _


End file.
